A Brief History

At the turn of the last century, this historic building was built and owned by E.J. Defrancia in 1904. 740 Front is one of Colorado's two oldest bars, the oldest ongoing tavern license in the state, and to the community, a priceless treasure steeped in memory and local lore. 740 Front is the last remaining saloon of the original thirteen that lined the 3-block strip of Front Street.

E.J. Defrancia was the Louisville agent for Tivoli Beer. Tivoli started brewing in 1859, becoming one of the largest brewers in the country and the second oldest continuously operating brewery in the country before its closure in 1969. The brand and beer were resurrected in 2012 and moved back into its original brewery and location on the Auraria campus in 2015.

THE BAR: The awesome, room-dominating back bar was built in the mid 1800's by the Brunswick Company, in Dubuque, Iowa. Cherrywood, Birch, and Flame mahogany make up this 'Del Monte' model which was cut-to-fit constructed, without nails.

Before finding its home in Louisville in 1904, the bar was originally built and spent its early years in Leadville, Colorado. Until Tivoli, with the aid of Defrancia, decided to bring the bar to Louisville from Leadville, by horse and wagon, not an easy feat in the Rocky Mountains.

Due to dangerous gases in the coal mines, the miners could not smoke so most chewed tobacco. The copper spit trough, once equipped with running water, still exists along the floor of the front bar and functioned as a stable, easy to hit, spit- toon.

THE SALOON: During its early days, the saloon had an icehouse operating in the current lower "Coal Miners" dining room. The original hand-crank elevator was used, until recent renovation, to bring ice, beer barrels and the occasional drunk to the basement.

Rumor is that most of Louisville's saloons, relegated to Front St to keep "the sinners" off Main Street, were connected by tunnels to facilitate clandestine imbibing, gambling and womanizing. In the event of an unscheduled visit from the reve- nuers, state police or an errant wife, a handy exit was available.

Miners assisted digging the tunnels only during the summer months. The grade of coal mined in Louisville being weak and brittle, mining for profit only took place in the winter months. What looks like bricked up tunnel entrances in the base- ment attest to the credibility of this rumor.